Opera

Updated: 3 months ago

In Short

Opera, known for its long-established web browser of the same name, is one of the most powerful browsers in the world. First publicly released for Windows back in 1996, Opera now supports most desktop and mobile platforms, including Windows Phone, iOS, and Android, where it provides not one but three different browsers in the Google Play Store for Android smartphones and tablets. It also has a version of the Opera browser for Android TV.

In the beginning Opera was trialware, intended to be purchased at the end of the free period, but Opera switched to an ad-supported version in 2000. Staying ad-supported until 2005 when it removed ads and instead made contracts with partners like Google, which became the default search engine in Opera. Opera and Google's Chrome browser, while competitors, have contributed to many of the same projects, including the Chromium Project, WebKit and Blink, to which both companies have drawn from and contributed code to.

Opera Mini was the first of Opera's mobile browsers, and the most widely available, optimized for small screens and small data caps. It then offered a more classic Opera Browser, with emphasis on speed and organization. Its third browser is Opera Max, a data-management-based browser that looks to dramatically trim the amount of mobile data you're using, perfect for users trying to squeak by on a tiered data plan. While not all browsers are available for all devices, Opera has presented users with choice. Users can also choose to contribute to the beta versions of Opera Browser and Opera Mini, which are hosted through separate Play Store apps rather than through the Play Store/Google+ beta community system.

04 May 2015 20By Russell HollyWhether it's more important that your browser get you where you're going as fast as possible or using as little data as possible, Opera has you covered.
Most people have used a version of the Opera browser without even realizing it...

05 January 2015 2By Harish Jonnalagadda Opera has announced that it will be launching a Blink-based rendering engine for Android TVs later this year. The HTML5-based rendering engine, a variant of WebKit used in Chromium, was developed by Google, with Opera being one of the major contributors to the project...

23 August 2016 18By Harish JonnalagaddaAfter integrating a built-in VPN in its desktop browser, Opera is now rolling out a dedicated VPN app for Android. While there are several VPN services available for Android, Opera is looking to differentiate its offering by providing free unlimited access.

18 July 2016 18By Harish JonnalagaddaA Chinese consortium of internet companies has failed to acquire Opera due to the lack of regulatory approval, with the Norwegian software maker instead selling off its browser business for $600 million.

16 June 2016 19By Rich EdmondsAd blocking has become quite the popular feature in Opera for the desktop and the company behind the browser is now looking to port this time and data saving feature to smartphones.

25 May 2016 15By Mike TanasychukOpera Mini for Android is first and foremost for those of you who want and/or need to conserve data. Maybe you have a very limited allotment or maybe you’re on a pay as you go plan. Either way, Opera Mini’s High and Extreme data saving modes can save you gigs and cash.

10 February 2016 26By Harish JonnalagaddaOpera Software, the company behind the popular mobile browser, has received a buyout offer from a consortium of Chinese companies for NOK 10.5 billion ($1.2 billion). The acquisition opens up Opera to a wider userbase in China, while giving its new owners access to its mobile advertising platform.

09 February 2016 1By Rich EdmondsOpera has launched its Apps Club worldwide, a subscription service for premium Android apps that provide developers access to more markets with "all you can download" plans. Consumers, who may have not been able to via traditional store methods due to low credit card penetration, can then take advantage of these offers

26 January 2016 2By Jared DiPaneOpera Mini, one of the popular browser replacements for Android, has been updated with support for many new languages, QR-code reader and improvements to its download manager. You can grab the latest update for free from Google Play.

09 December 2015By Rich EdmondsOpera Mini has been updated with some interesting new features for those who enjoy downloading files to their smartphone. The company behind the popular web browser has implemented new functionality to help make it easier for you to manage downloads.